Guandino Compounds: Implications in Uremia

Abstract

Guanidine, which may be described as an “aminated” urea (Fig.1), was first isolated in uremia as far back as 19271. It is an extremely toxic material, producing effects when injected into dogs that mimic many of the clinical symptoms of uremia, such as encephalopathy and gastroenteropathy. Its structural similarity to urea makes it an attractive candidate for the role of the enigmatic “uremic toxin”. It makes economic sense, in states of nitrogen excess, to assemble a molecule which binds three, in place of two, amino groups to carbon.